Afghan Refugees?

Iran, Rafsanjan 2015.

In recent decades, Iran has been the destination for around 3 million Afghan migrants and refugees. The long-term settlement of Afghan refugees in Iran, along with their young age structure and high fertility, has produced an important shift in the composition of their population marked by the emergence of “second generation.” The second-generation Afghan is defined as an Iran-born individual with at least one Afghan-born parent or an Afghan youth who immigrated to Iran before the age of seven. Currently, the second-generation constitutes a large and growing share of the Afghan population in Iran ― a shift that has many implications for policymakers.

Second-generation Afghans stand between two different social and cultural worlds. As a transitional group, they are at the crossroad of the interaction and influence of the origin and destination cultures. They have different ideals and beliefs on various aspects of life, as compared to their counterparts at home and their parents and unable to gain Iranian citizenship due to the Iranian law on immigration.

Iran is recruiting Afghan refugees to fight in Syria, promising a monthly salary and residence permits in exchange for what it claims to be a sacred endeavor to save Shia shrines in Damascus. The Fatemioun military division of Afghan refugees living in Iran and Syria is now the second largest foreign military contingent fighting in support of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, after the Lebanese militia Hezbollah.

The following photos are from the Rafsanjan refugee settlement in Iran's Kerman province which is 5000 refugees live there.

Fatemeh, 8 years old, Student, born in Iran.

Ameneh, 27 years old and her daughter Fatemeh, 7 years old, housewife, born in Iran.

Mohammad Reza, 22 years old, University Student in Electronic and works at his brother ‘s fruit Shop, born in Iran.

Shakila, 7 years old, and her sister Zahra 13, Students, born in Iran.

Kolsum, 25 years old, got BA in Law, Housewife, born in Iran.

Zahra and her brother Hossein, 31, settlement mayor assistant, born in Iran.